Sakura Girl
by Iceflare177
Summary: Every year, I go to the Hanami in Chiba Park... Sure, I could stay in Tokyo- but if she's not there, what's the point? More beautiful than any sakura flower, I come here just for her. (Oneshot, AU)


_Every year, I go to the Hanami in Chiba Park... Sure, I could stay in Tokyo- but if she's not there, what's the point? More beautiful than any sakura flower, I come here just for her._

~~AAAND START!~~

"We will be arriving shortly." The man on the intercom notified the passengers on the train that our stop was approaching. I came all the way from Tokyo, as I have been for years around this day.

I had first seen her in my first year of high school. Some friends and I were sitting under a tree, eating hanami dango, when she caught my eye.

The moment I saw her, it was as if the soft pink sakura petals outlined by the moon's silver glow had lost all importance. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and though I do not believe in love at first sight, this was about the closest thing to it there could ever be. She was sitting under a large sakura tree with her friends, brown hair billowing softly behind her as a cool wind gently rustled the blossoms. Petals scattered, falling lazily downward. Cerulean eyes held the moonlight's glow perfectly and I almost forgot to breathe as our eyes met for a fleeting moment. The paper lanterns slow danced in the soft breeze, and I felt right then that a spell was being cast upon me.

"Who is she?" My voice was quieter than usual, drawing my friends from their fun.

"Which girl?" I pointed as inconspicuously as I possibly could, so as not to draw attention to us. As luck would have it, my friends caught my intentions and looked slowly in that direction. "The black haired one? Good taste, my friend! That's Ayase, she's a middle schooler and a model." Ayase was not who I originally meant, but I noted her name and stored it in the back of my head.

"That's not who I meant..." My voice hushed to an almost whisper, "Who... is _she_? The one next to Ayase." The boys looked at who I meant and instantly hooped and hollered.

"Oh! You've got you're eyes on the prize, that's for sure!" I was almost hesitant to ask what they meant. "Her name is Kosaka Kirino. She's got over half the male population in the middle school chasing after her, yet she's never taken a boyfriend. Perfect in looks, sports, and grades, she's completely single... and completely out of your league." This struck me in a funny manner.

All I could think of was, "why?" Though I have average looks and slightly better than average grades, I could not think of a single reason to give up. Even the most beautiful flower cannot be alone forever. It must soon blossom and fall with all the others, wouldn't you like to be with someone when that happens? When I wilt and wither, I want to have someone in my life to fade with. Even if my friends thought she was above me, I had a hard time losing interest in the girl across the park.

My friends went home without me that day. I stayed and watched the whole time. Hanami had long since lost meaning to me in the face of Kirino. I did not leave until she did and though I tried in vain to make eye contact for the second time, she never lost any of her original majesty no matter how long I looked. My eyes drank her in like she was the last cup of water in a desert- slowly but thirstily, not wasting a drop and savoring the last bit of moisture to be found in this wasteland of a world .

I came again every year to that spot same spot. My family moved to Tokyo due to my father's work, but I refused to go to any sort of flower viewing without her being there.

The next year, she came again. And the year after, and two more times after that.

One year, she came alone and walked among the petals.

The very next year, she laughed with all of her friends while eating bento and dango.

One year, she sat alone and cried for a reason I could not understand.

The very next year, she listened to traditional music with Ayase and a new group of friends.

I want to say I know her well, but I've never heard her voice. I want to say I've at least said hello, but I've taken to watching from afar. Almost all of the vendors know me by name, but I could only ever care about the girl I watched every year with the flowers.

This year, I want to be different. I'm tired of simply watching. I want to walk with the flowers this year, not watch them from the sidelines. I want to walk with her, at least have one conversation. I bought her a gift, and I've wrapped it and kept it safely in my bag. It's a pair of hair pins and they're ebony with pink flower petals. When I saw them, I knew I just had to get them for her and I picked up an extra part-time job to pay for them.

Perhaps she gets nicer things on a daily basis, but I want her to receive my feelings. Even if she hates them and throws them away, even if I am rejected, I want to present them to her as proudly as I can.

To tell the truth, I'm running out of time... I'm leaving for America soon to pursuit my career, if I don't talk to her this year, I may never be able to. The thought is so distasteful, it remains hard for me to acknowledge it as a possibility.

The train stopped at the station, and I took a nostalgic walk to the park. The bag slung over my shoulder was heavy with it's light burden and I itched for my opportunity to give it away. I even brought more money than usual this year, in case she wanted anything. In fact, I have a small fortune in my wallet because I didn't really know what to expect.

"Kyousuke! Good to see you again! How've you been for the last year?" A dango vendor greeted me. This place is always my first stop, and after my second year here, I received a discount. Waiting for Kirino is basically all I do all day, so the sheer number of dango and bento I buy is enough to grant me some sort of loyalty discount among the people here. I don't know when she'll come, and I don't want to miss her, so I wait. The vendors I'm familiar with call me "Sakura Boy" and I've earned the title of hanami veteran.

"Hello, Takana-san. Nice to see you're doing well again this year. Mine's been just fine. I'll take the usual." Takana smiled and gave me a stick while turning down my money.

"The first one's on the house!" And that was the end of conversation for a long time.

Dusk fell slowly, and the majority of the crowd had gone home. Salary men ambled around, drunk. Mothers guided children with a firm hand back home to settle their yawning selves into bed. Vendors that only stayed open until sunset started to pack up, and I sat, still waiting. The longer I wait, the more uneasy I become, yet I can't allow myself to be insecure. She always comes. Today will be a bit different, that's all. I'm finally going to talk to her, and that's a good thing.

Finally, I saw her. The same group of friends as last year was with her. A tall girl in an outfit that made her stick out like a sore thumb, and a shorter girl dressed in around the same eye-catching way. Ayase walked along with a red-headed girl. I couldn't help but notice they were more at ease than last year. I now bring my bag from the ground to my lap, waiting anxiously for an opening.

A half hour nearly flew by, and I found myself reverting back into that old fashion of keeping my distance. I shook my head while balling my fists. I _am_ going to talk to her. No excuses. For some reason, my conversation from all those years ago came back to haunt me and I felt a small insecurity nest in the bottom of my heart. "I can't feel this way... I can't... There's nothing to fear... I've got this." I repeat these thoughts in my head until I manage to calm down and I release my palms.

The sun was completely down now, after a while, Kirino's friends left, and she was under the tree where I first saw her. Why is she alone like this? I don't understand. If I was with her, she would never be alone... I gather up my courage and stand.

Before I walked over to her, I made my way over to the vendors. Something interesting was happening. Every one of them had their eyes on me. As I walked up to Takana, he gave me two sticks of dango and gave a thumbs up.

"Good luck, Sakura Boy!" And all of the other vendors nodded. Fighting spirit seemed to seep into my veins from seemingly thin air. All inklings of insecurity I had were removed, and I nodded fiercely at the stand managers.

Music streamed in from a group of people not too far away, and the moon graced the park with a loving caress of silver light. I sought out cerulean eyes and made contact with them while walking towards the tree I had not yet walked under in all the years I've watched flowers here. Paper lanterns were being lit and the park was given a romantic feel almost identical to the first time I saw Kirino. I stopped just in front of her, and stood utterly enchanted. More beautiful in person than one thousand roses- than one thousand blooming sakura trees.

"K-Kosaka-san..." I once again riled up that quick-to-flee bravery and swallowed. I'd never been so nervous in my entire life. Holding out a slightly shaking hand with a dango stick, I put on a smile. "Would you like to watch the flowers with me?"

Kirino looked at me, first with surprise, then small tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "I've been waiting for you to say that." The smile she gave me then is one of the things I'll remember for the rest of my life.

~~AAAND END!~~

**AN: Sweet or what? Felt like writing a oneshot. If you enjoyed this, please favorite and review! It would help a lot. Thanks!**

**Ice-out!**


End file.
